Highlights Riders moved significantly further away from overtaking vehicles equipped with Adaptive Headlamp Systems (AHS) compared to a control condition. AHS has the potential to improve bicycling safety in nighttime conditions when lighting conditions are poor.

    Abstract Introduction: The risk of motor vehicle-bicyclist crashes and fatalities is greater during nighttime than daytime lighting conditions, even though there are fewer cyclists on roadways at night. Vehicle Adaptive Headlamp Systems (AHS) aim to increase the visibility of bicyclists for drivers by directing a spotlight to illuminate bicyclists on or near the roadway. AHS technology also serves to alert bicyclists to the approaching vehicle by illuminating the road beneath the rider and by projecting a warning icon on the roadway. Method: Here, we examined how bicyclists respond to different AHS designs using a large screen, immersive virtual environment. Participants bicycled along a virtual road during nighttime lighting conditions and were overtaken by vehicles with and without an AHS system. The experiment included five treatment conditions with five different AHS designs. In each design a box of white light was projected beneath the rider; in four of the designs an icon was also projected on the road that varied in color (white or red) and position (to the left of the rider at midline or to the left of the front wheel). Participants in the control condition experienced only non-AHS vehicles. Results: We found that riders in all AHS treatment conditions moved significantly farther away from overtaking vehicles with AHS systems, whereas riders in the control condition did not significantly move away from overtaking vehicles without AHS systems. Practical Applications: The experiment demonstrates that AHS has potential to increase bicycling safety by influencing riders to steer away from overtaking vehicles.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    How do bicyclists respond to vehicles with adaptive headlamp systems? A nighttime study in an immersive virtual environment



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2023-10-16


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    How do pedestrians respond to adaptive headlamp systems in vehicles? A road-crossing study in an immersive virtual environment

    Subramanian, Lakshmi D. / O'Neal, Elizabeth E. / Roman, Aldrin et al. | Elsevier | 2021


    Evaluation of headlamp systems for nighttime safety

    Austin,R.L. / Woltman,H.L. / 3M Centre,Traffic Control Materials Div.,US | Automotive engineering | 1986



    Vehicle-Specific Headlamp Mapping for Nighttime Visibility

    Vozza, Adriano / Funk, Charles / Petroskey, Karla et al. | SAE Technical Papers | 2021


    Vehicle-Specific Headlamp Mapping for Nighttime Visibility

    Funk, Charles / Petroskey, Karla / Arndt, Steve et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2021